The present invention relates to a gutter assembly for installation along the roof edge of a building structure. More particularly, the invention relates to a universal gutter and leaf guard assembly and to the method of installation.
Gutter assemblies are generally attached to the ends of the rafters of a roof. Variations in spacing between rafters, and variations in rafter length, height, and parallelism can easily occur as a result of improper installation techniques or natural irregularities in the individual rafters. These variations often prevent or complicate efforts to effect secure attachment of the gutter assembly to the rafters. For example, variations in rafter length and thus the end faces of are inconsistent with the desired straight appearance of the gutter along the roof edge. Such variations, as well as variations in rafter height, spacing, and parallelism often complicate attachment of the gutter to the roof edge.
Known attempts to obviate these problems include assemblies such as shown in the Maloney, Jr., et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,092,808 dated June 6, 1978, which permits variable spacing but requires require rafters to be generally uniform in length and be parallel, so as to present aligned rafter end faces.
Other known efforts to provide gutter assemblies that can accomodate variations in the spacing between rafters include mounting brackets, such as those disclosed in the Merkin, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,826,048 dated July 30, 1974, that are attached to the roof as well as the rafters and may thus be selectively positioned along the length of the gutter. However, such brackets may unduly load the roof edge and are not easily installed on an existing roof. In addition, no accomodation is made for variation in the length, height or parallelism of the rafters.
Other efforts include providing gutters shave mounting brackets, such as those disclosed in the Webster U.S. Pat. No. 3,874,131 dated Apr. 1, 1975, which can be selectively mounted to the sides of rafters and thus accomodate variations in both height and spacing of the rafters. However, such brackets generally require the use of an intermediate structure between the brackets and the gutter, i.e., an intermediate structure is mounted to the brackets, and the gutter thereafter mounted to the intermediate structure. Three piece assemblies of this type are thus more complex and expensive than two piece assemblies. Moreover, variations in rafter length and parallelism remain potential problems.
It has long been desirable to simplify construction and installation of gutter assemblies as any reduction in the time necessary to assemble and install the gutter along a roof edge reduces construction and labor costs. Ease of disassembly is also desired so that subsequent removal from the roof edge may be effected to effect painting or repairs, or even to effect replacement of assembly components.
Assemblies such as disclosed in the previously mentioned Webster patent have easily removed gutters, but also have the complications of the longitudinally extending fascia.
Other assemblies such as disclosed in the Middleby U.S. Pat. No. 4,263,756 dated Apr. 28, 1981, include a minimum of component parts, but require modification of the roof edge and the adjacent wall of the building structure in order to effect a secure attachment of both the gutter and soffit strip, and once attached, are not readily removed.
Still another known assembly of the type disclosed in the Crawford U.S. Pat. No. 803,670 dated Nov. 7, 1905 includes an integral gutter and leaf guard construction, but is attached to the roof rather than the rafters and is not quickly or easily removed once installed.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to remedy the deficiencies of know assemblies as discussed above and to provide a novel assembly that can be readily installed along and removed from the roof edge of a building structure.
It is another object of this invention to provide a universal assembly with novel mounting brackets for installing the assembly along a roof edge having variations in rafter length, height, spacing, and parallelism.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a novel soffit strip which can be both slidably inserted and slidably removed from the assembly after the gutter has been installed.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a novel construction having a reduced number of components, simplified installation and reduced cost, as well as the elimination of wooden components such as facia, easily adapted for installation on new construction and as a replacement gutter assembly.
It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a novel leaf guard cover for the assembly for rejecting unwanted leaf matter while capturing roof drainage water.
These and many other objects and advantages will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains from a perusal of the claims and the following detailed description of preferred embodiments read in conjunction with the appended drawings.